Ball Lock Pilot Punches Tapered Tip Heavy Duty XCDP Coating

These ball lock pilot punches are used in injection mold tooling where precise pilot creation controls downstream drilling, reaming, or alignment of components. The tapered tip improves entry into the workpiece and helps maintain centered engagement, which is critical when establishing repeatable tooling location during setup and periodic maintenance.

• Automotive connector and terminal molds: Used to create stable pilot holes for locating plates and sub-assembly dowels, supporting consistent alignment across high-cycle machining and tool rework.
• Medical device mold components: Helps achieve accurate pilot start positions for tight-tolerance features, reducing the risk of drift during initial cutting and improving repeatability of hole locations.
• General industrial mold tooling: Supports heavy-duty indexing in multi-part assemblies where wear resistance and reduced galling help maintain dimensional accuracy over repeated use.

The XCDP coating variant is suited for these applications because it improves wear resistance and can reduce galling during repeated press-fit and indexing cycles.

The product is offered in M2 and PS4 steel. M2 (commonly associated with high-speed steel, HSS) is selected for strong wear resistance and good toughness for tooling that sees repetitive contact; its performance is typically balanced by hardness achieved through heat treatment and subsequent grinding.

For PS4, the material selection is aimed at maintaining dimensional stability and wear capability for pilot punch use where repeated engagement is expected. Both variants are typically manufactured via machining followed by heat treatment appropriate to the steel, then finishing to obtain the taper and pilot point geometry.

• Hardness/handling trade-off: Higher hardness improves wear resistance but can reduce toughness if shock loads are high; select based on expected cutting/impact conditions.
• Finish and coating: With the XCDP coating, surface durability and galling resistance improve, helping preserve alignment surfaces during long production cycles.

Note: exact hardness in HRC is not provided in the supplied specifications; final hardness depends on the specific heat-treatment schedule used by the supplier for each steel grade.

Select the correct punch size by matching the shank diameter, point geometry, and overall length to the mold plate or locating setup in your tooling stack-up.

• Shank diameter (D): Available in 10 ~ 40 mm. Choose D to fit the guide feature bore or pilot station that will receive the punch shank without excessive clearance.
• Tip/pilot diameter (P): Available in 1.45 ~ 30 mm. P should align with the pilot hole size required for your subsequent machining operation.
• Point length (L1): Select from the provided ranges: 19 ~ 62, 19 ~ 92, 25 ~ 102, or 30 ~ 102 mm, based on how deep the tapered tip must engage to control initial centering.
• Overall length (L): Available in 80 ~ 110, 80 ~ 140, or 80 ~ 150 mm depending on configuration; ensure sufficient reach through the stack while avoiding bottoming in the cavity/core layout.

Because the punch is used for alignment starts, prioritize correct D and L1 engagement length. If you control fit via bushings or guide holes, allow for practical manufacturing tolerances and alignment requirements of the pilot station; choose consistent dimensions to minimize side loading and drift.